Recap of endorsements for Nov. 6

Election Day rapidly approaches. For those still mulling their choices, here are summaries of The Republic's recommendations. The full text of each editorial can be found at opinions.azcentral.com.

National offices

President: Mitt Romney.

The nation's best opportunity to escape the compounding woes of spiraling debt and economic stagnation lies with a president who believes in the free market's capacity to heal its own wounds.

U.S. Senate: Jeff Flake. Given impending "fiscal cliffs," unprecedented national debt and trillion-dollar annual deficits, this is his moment.

Congressional District 1: Jonathan Paton, who shows greater composure than his opponent.

CD 2: Rep. Ron Barber has shown himself to be independent and willing to serve his constituents' interests, even if that means going against his party's wishes.

CD 5: Matt Salmon brings to this race a wealth of experience, having served three terms in Congress, from 1995 to 2000.

CD 6: David Schweikert.

CD 7: Ed Pastor.

CD 8: Trent Franks.

CD 9: Kyrsten Sinema's record in the Legislature shows she understands the only way a member of the minority party can get anything done is by working with members whose politics could not be more different.

State offices

Legislative District 17 Senate: Sen. Steve Yarbrough's workhorse nature includes a willingness to keep an open mind as he thoroughly studies the state's important issues.

LD 18 House: Combine Jeff Dial's willingness to reach across party lines with Bob Robson's mastery of the art of compromise, and you've got a formidable team.

LD 18 Senate: John McComish breaks party ranks on controversial immigration, guns-on-campus and contraception bills yet works diligently behind the scenes to improve good bills and neuter bad ones.

LD 20 House: Paul Boyer, a former legislative-policy adviser, promises to be a voice of reason, while Jackie Thrasher, a former lawmaker and retired teacher, would invigorate conversations at the Capitol.

LD 20 Senate: Kimberly Yee, who has served one term in the House, has sensible ideas for establishing a solid framework for Child Protective Services reforms, and she could lead a thoughtful discussion on education policy.

LD 26 House: Juan Mendez is the sort of state legislative candidate who appears to be going places, and Andrew Sherwood is bright and eager to learn.

LD 26 Senate: Jerry Lewis is the Senate's most independent voice. In the back halls of the Capitol and on the streets of his district, he has put in the hard work necessary to effectively listen and debate.

LD 28 House: Rep. Eric Meyer, a doctor, works with Republicans to move his ideas through the system, particularly on education and health-care issues. Rep. Amanda Reeve, a paralegal specializing in environmental issues, is able to sift through rhetoric from lobbyists.

County races

Central Arizona Water Conservation District: The Valley would be nothing without Central Arizona Project canals. It's vital to elect capable people to the nonpartisan board that oversees them.

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, District 2: If any candidate in this year's local elections delivers an aura of change, it would be Steve Chucri.

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, District 3: Andy Kunasek's leadership is a major reason that Maricopa County boasts a $400 million surplus just a few years after the county endured financial near-collapse and political turmoil of operatic proportions.

Maricopa County Sheriff: Paul Penzone would provide what Maricopa County needs in a sheriff now: a professional, serious-minded cop whose default attitude won't be defiance.

Pinal County Attorney: Incumbent James Walsh has garnered the admiration of both parties for his professionalism and steady direction of a County Attorney's Office that has dramatically increased prosecutions and helped decrease crime in Pinal County during his five years in office.

Issues

Proposition 115: No. Its primary goal -- putting greater judicial appointment power in the hands of the executive branch -- has "unintended political consequences" written all over it.

Proposition 116: Yes. The measure would increase significantly the tax exemption Arizona businesses take when purchasing property such as manufacturing machinery or other equipment, freeing investment for more jobs.

Proposition 117: No. Limiting the increase in an assessor's calculation of property value sets up a system that views fast-appreciating property differently from slower-appreciating property of the same class, and that just isn't right.

Proposition 118: Yes. This measure would make payments from the state land trust fund to K-12 education more stable and reliable.

Proposition 119: Yes. The state could trade trust land for other public land in order to prevent development from encroaching on military installations or to improve the management of trust lands.

Proposition 120: No. This childish hissy fit aimed at the federal government would provide years of litigation work for lawyers and serve no useful purpose.

Proposition 121: Yes. The Open Elections/Open Government initiative reshapes the primary-election process to fit the way voters are redefining themselves.

Proposition 204: No. While the intention behind the education sales tax may be laudable, the likely unintended consequences of the largest permanent tax increase in state history are deeply worrisome.